Wavendon celebrates 25th Anniversary of twinning link

Members of the committee of the Wavendon Twinning Association enjoyed a visit to their twin village of Presles-en-Brie (France) at the weekend (20 22 September) to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the twinning charter between their communities.

The weekend was hosted by the Mayor and Comite de Jumelage (Twinning Committee) in Presles and included a visit to Paris to enjoy the unseasonably hot weather and explore the numerous arcades that criss cross the city.

Present at the event was Madame Denise Billon who founded the initiative in Presles (but who now lives in the south of France) and who travelled back to Presles especially to mark the anniversary.

At an informal buffet meal held to celebrate the success the past 25 years, Mayor of Presles (Dominic Rodriguez) set out in his speech of welcome his plans and aspirations for the next 25 years for the link highlighting the success of school links in particular and hoping that a new generation of residents in both communities would build on the numerous links formed since 1988.

Wavendon Parish Council Chairman, David Hopkins commented in response upon how different Wavendon would be in 25 years’ time with 3000 new homes planned to be built in the village turning the rural nature of Wavendon into a much more urban/rural blend. This, he commented, offered enormous potential for the Association and the extension of the link with new Primary and Secondary schools planned and a growth in the population to as many as 8000 residents by 2025.

Over the past 25 years there have been numerous twinning visits in both directions involving local schools, sports teams and private family groups who have formed close friendships in both communities.

Note: Wavendon Twinning Association is wholly funded by local fund raising and individual contributions – no public money is spent on the link.

Presles-en-Brie is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France (http://www.preslesenbrie.eu/)